Cruel Intentions (1999)

Directed by
Roger Kumble

During the school holidays, Kathryn Merteuil (Sarah Michelle Gellar) tries to persuade her stepbrother Sebastian (Ryan Phillippe) to seduce Cecile (Selma Blair), who has stolen her boyfriend. But he has another target: the innocent Annette Hargrove (Reese Witherspoon). Annette, wary of his reputation, avoids him while Cecile falls for her music teacher, a romance quickly snuffed out by her mother. But as Sebastian and Annette are drawn closer, so Kathryn's jealousy sows seeds of destruction...

Human frailty sketched from de Laclos' classic Les Liaisons Dangereuses is one marketing strategy. Buffy In Same-Sex Shocker is another. Cruel Intentions uses them both, updating its original ambition from vicious low-budget guerilla short to feature-length Hollywood splendour as a result. Updating many features of the original novel (love letters become e-mails) without losing its flavour, this 1999 film delivers drama and intrigue courtesy of a quartet who relish their characters.

Written by ,

Genre: Film

Running Time: 120 minutes (approx)

Production Year: 1999

Rating:
3/5 Stars

Classification: 15 Certificate

Production Country: USA

Filmed in Colour

Cast

Image for Sarah Michelle GellarSarah Michelle Gellar...Kathryn Merteuil
Image for Ryan PhillippeRyan Phillippe...Sebastian Valmont
Image for Reese WitherspoonReese Witherspoon...Annette Hargrove
Image for Selma BlairSelma Blair...Cecile Caldwell
Image for Louise FletcherLouise Fletcher...Helen Rosemond
Image for Joshua JacksonJoshua Jackson...Blaine Tuttle
Image for Eric MabiusEric Mabius...Greg McConnell
Sean Patrick Thomas...Ronald Clifford
Image for Swoosie KurtzSwoosie Kurtz...Dr. Regina Greenbaum
Christine Baranski...Bunny Caldwell
Alaina Reed-Hall...Nurse
Deborah Offner...Mrs. Michalak
Image for Tara ReidTara Reid...Marci Greenbaum
Herta Ware...Mrs. Sugarman
Hiep Thi Le...Mai-Lee